- Microsoft is still waiting for the green light to acquire Activision Blizzard
- Sony wary of intentionally downgrading Call of Duty on PlayStation
- CMA decision expected by end of April
A year ago, Microsoft “broke the game” by announcing its takeover of giant Activision-Blizzard. The Redmond-based company then offered itself a set of licenses for less prestigious games, including, of course, Call of Duty, as well as Overwatch, World of Warcraft or Diablo, not forgetting Starcraft, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the dragon! Since then, Microsoft has struggled to convince various competition and market authorities, and Sony has looked dimly at this merger of the two groups.
Call of Duy, sabotaged versions on PlayStation?
Most recently, Microsoft signed a partnership with Nintendo to ensure that the Call of Duty license is available on the Nintendo Switch for at least 10 years. At first, the Nintendo console could accommodate ports of already existing games, but the Switch could also have future opuses with simultaneous releases on Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
We want the report to be clear and clear of any misunderstandings. I am pleased to release this statement and reiterate Microsoft’s strong commitment to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo customers if our acquisition of Activision Blizzard is approved by the regulators. pic.twitter.com/AlsIjwAGEU
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) February 24, 2023
On Sony’s side, however, we continue to panic at the thought of the Call of Duty license switching to the green side of the Force. So, in a recent document, Sony is considering the possibility of Call of Duty games being “sabotaged” in their PlayStation version. Thus, the Japanese giant believes that Microsoft may voluntarily degrade the gameplay on the PlayStation in order to make the Xbox ecosystem a “place to play” in the eyes of the players in regards to Call of Duty.
In addition, Sony is also raising the possibility of a higher sale price on PlayStation than on Xbox, not to mention the possibility of including Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass.
For its part, Microsoft is guaranteeing parity between Xbox and PlayStation for Call of Duty, as well as commitments to ensure that Call of Duty is available to at least 150 million additional players on other consoles and cloud streaming platforms after closing the deal. .
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is due to issue its decision no later than 26 April 2023. So be patient.
In the meantime, remember that very soon Xbox players will be able to decorate their kitchen with a brand new officially licensed accessory. Indeed, after the famous Xbox Series X-themed fridge, this is an Xbox Series S-shaped toaster that will be available in stores soon. The launch is scheduled for July.